Kelsie Thu, University of Toronto

Research

Read how they describe their research on their University of Toronto profile.

Lung Cancer Crc Cd47 Immunotherapy Oncolytic Virus Crispr-Cas9 Drug Resistance Drug Tolerant Persister

Latest papers

CX-5461 is a DNA G-quadruplex stabilizer with selective lethality in BRCA1/2 deficient tumours.
Nature communications · 2017

All 1 publications

Latest funding

Leveraging oncolytic viruses to realize the therapeutic potential of CD47 blockade in lung cancer
CIHR · 2026 · Nominated PI
$1,097,776
Exploring a non-canonical role of YAP/TAZ in suppressing chemotherapy induced interferon signaling to promote chemoresistance in NSCLC
CIHR · 2025 · Supervisor
$1,500
Mechanism and regulation of the nuclear transport and novel, non-transcriptional functions of TAZ/YAP
CIHR · 2025 · Co-investigator
$1,158,975

All 14 grants and awards

1 publications.

01

CX-5461 is a DNA G-quadruplex stabilizer with selective lethality in BRCA1/2 deficient tumours.

Xu H, Di Antonio M, McKinney S, Mathew V, Ho B, O'Neil NJ, Santos ND, Silvester J, Wei V, Garcia J, Kabeer F, Lai D, Soriano P, Banáth J, Chiu DS, Yap D, Le DD, Ye FB, Zhang A, Thu K, Soong J, Lin SC, Tsai AH, Osako T, Algara T, Saunders DN, Wong J, Xian J, Bally MB, Brenton JD, Brown GW, Shah SP, Cescon D, Mak TW, Caldas C, Stirling PC, Hieter P, Balasubramanian S, Aparicio S

Nature communications2017

DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14432 PMID: 28211448

Leveraging oncolytic viruses to realize the therapeutic potential of CD47 blockade in lung cancer

Nominated PICIHR2026Project Grant

Principal investigators: Thu, Kelsie L

Keywords: Cd47; Immunotherapy; Lung Cancer; Oncolytic Virus

$1,097,776

Exploring a non-canonical role of YAP/TAZ in suppressing chemotherapy induced interferon signaling to promote chemoresistance in NSCLC

SupervisorCIHR2025Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Principal investigators: Khavkine Binstock, Sharon S

Keywords: Ics Travel Awards

$1,500

Mechanism and regulation of the nuclear transport and novel, non-transcriptional functions of TAZ/YAP

Co-investigatorCIHR2025Project Grant

Principal investigators: Kapus, Andras

Keywords: Mutagenesis; Nuclear Import And Export; Optogenetics; Protein-Protein Interactions; Quantitative Microscopy; Rho Gtpases; Spindle Assembly Checkpoint; Structure-Function Relationships; Taz/Yap Biology

$1,158,975

Exploring non-canonical roles for YAP/TAZ in lung cancer chemoresistance

SupervisorCIHR2025Cancer Research Society Doctoral Research Awards - ICR-ISI

Principal investigators: Khavkine Binstock, Sharon S

Keywords: Adenocarcinoma; Chemotherapy Resistance; Drug Resistance; Lung Cancer

$35,000

Investigating oncolytic viruses as a safe and effective vehicle for delivering CD47 blockade in lung cancer

SupervisorCIHR2025Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Principal investigators: Hoshi, Ryunosuke

Keywords: Ics Travel Awards

$1,500

Discovering pathways to drug tolerance and therapeutic vulnerabilities of persister cells in lung cancer

Principal investigatorCIHR2024Project Grant

Principal investigators: Tsao, Ming-Sound; Thu, Kelsie L

Keywords: Crispr-Cas9; Drug Resistance; Drug Tolerant Persister; Egfr Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor; Inhibitory Therapy; Neoadjuvant Therapy; Patient-Derived Xenografts; Rna Sequencing; Single Cell Technology; Targeted Therapy

$1,292,850

Enhancing CD47-targeted therapy in lung cancer with ultrasound and microbubbles

Nominated PICIHR2024CIHR - ICR / Cancer Research Society Partnership - Research Grants

Principal investigators: Thu, Kelsie L

Keywords: Early Career Researchers

$65,000

Canada Research Chair - Tier 2

Nominated PICIHR2024Canada Research Chairs - CIHR Funded - Tier 2

Principal investigators: Thu, Kelsie L

Keywords: Crc

$500,000

Aiming at a new target in endotoxin-associated lung damage: The Ig domain 3 of ICAM-1

Co-investigatorCIHR2023Project Grant

Principal investigators: Zhang, Haibo

Keywords: Microbiology& Infection Diseases

$982,260

Deciphering tumor response to CD47 inhibition to inform effective strategies for CD47 blockade in lung cancer

SupervisorCIHR2023Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Principal investigators: Lau, Asa

Keywords: Biomarker Discovery; Cd47; Crispr Screens; Functional Genomics; Immune Checkpoint Blockade; Immunotherapy; Lung Cancer; Transcriptomic Profiling

$105,000

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology
Molecular Oncology
Other

Co-authors at University of Toronto, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Samuel Aparicio

Molecular Oncology

1 shared papers, latest 2017

Jason Wong

Faculty

1 shared papers, latest 2017

David Cescon

Faculty

1 shared papers, latest 2017

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Mention their CIHR grant from 2026

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Lung Cancer Dear Professor Thu, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "CX-5461 is a DNA G-quadruplex stabilizer with selective lethality in BRCA1/2 deficient tumours." (2017), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your CIHR-funded project "Leveraging oncolytic viruses to realize the therapeutic potential of CD47 blockade in lung cancer" (2026), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]